Greenhouse gas removal cohort
Team: Qi Zheng (Accelerator Postdoctoral Fellow), Yi Cui

The rapid decarbonization of the cement industry is crucial for achieving global climate goals. Cement production accounts for approximately 7.5% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, primarily from fossil fuel combustion and limestone calcination (CaCO3 → CaO + CO2). While reducing clinker content with supplementary cementitious materials helps, Portland cement clinker remains essential in modern concrete. Achieving deep emissions cuts requires a fundamental overhaul of the production process and a shift toward a circular economy.
Accelerator Postdoctoral Fellow Zheng proposes to revolutionize cement manufacturing by pioneering advanced heating processes that redefine the thermal, chemical, and kinetic pathways of clinker formation. The approach unlocks new reaction mechanisms, drastically reducing carbon emissions by accelerating production, replacing limestone with recycled concrete waste, and enabling clean, electrified heating powered by renewable energy.

Source: https://sustainability-accelerator.stanford.edu/project/making-zero-carbon-cement-scale